Perspective

As I may have mentioned in one of my first posts of the year, last year was not a great one. The one before that wasn’t so great either.

I have been planning to share more about that with some people tomorrow morning and it hit me how important perspective is.

In my estimation, I have been very, very blessed. When I mention that to others, who look in from the outside and see some of the challenges I’ve faced - even before the last two years - they just don’t get my positive attitude. My attitude is a direct result of my perspective. Even now, when I talk think about the last two years and 28 days, which has been, without doubt, the hardest stretch in my life, I still seem able to see how things could have been worse.

Because of perspective.

What made me think of it tonight was Terri telling me that a former student is coming in to school tomorrow to thank the students for raising money for his cancer treatment. All I could say was “wow!” She said he has a pretty good outlook on life, despite having gone through this twice now. She said something like “I guess when you stare death in the face like that, you think differently. You know what I mean?”

And I said, “I know exactly what you mean.”

It wasn’t cancer, but I’ve stared death in the face a few times and it gives me some perspective.